The present disclosure relates to ladders. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to ladders that can be coupled to an object for climbing or otherwise negotiating that object.
Ladders for negotiating objects are known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,995,714; 4,263,983; 4,467,890; 4,742,888; 4,991,690; 5,109,954; 5,277,273; 5,590,738; 5,655,623; 5,711,399; 5,727,648; 5,779,001; 5,791,436; 5,816,362; 6,003,632; and 6,199,660B1.
According to the present disclosure, a ladder for negotiating an object comprises a frame and a lever pivotally coupled to the frame at a pivot point. The lever is configured to pivot about the pivot point to engage the object when a user steps on the lever.
Illustratively, the lever includes a pivot arm and an engager arm coupled to the pivot arm at the pivot point. The pivot arm causes the engager arm to pivot into engagement with the object when the user steps onto the object. The pivot arm is angled relative to the engager arm. The pivot arm has a first length and the engager arm has a second length. The first length is greater than or equal to the second length to provide mechanical advantage to the lever during operation thereof.
Further according to the disclosure, a method for securing the ladder to the object comprises the steps of stepping on a first portion of a lever and pivoting the lever so as to urge a second portion of the lever into contact with the object in response to the stepping step. Illustratively, the method further includes the step of strapping the ladder to the object prior to the stepping step.
Additional features will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode as presently perceived.